Chelsea in “advanced” talks over personal terms with a third potential transfer this week | OneFootball

We always suspected this would be a busy period for Chelsea, with just a couple of weeks between the end of the season and the start of the Club World Cup, with the club keen to get deals done so that new additions can use the tournament as a sort of preseason – postseason training camp.

Hectic week could see 3 deals progress or complete

Hugo Ekitike celebrates scoring for Eintracht Frankfurt. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

But still, we didn’t expect it to be this hectic. Yesterday the signing of Liam Delap was confirmed, today we hear that a move for Mike Maignan is progressing and looking increasingly realistic.

Not only that, we’re also getting more and more detail on a more surprising bid that will bring Hugo Ekitike to Chelsea as the Blues’ third senior striker.

The Daily Mirror are pushing that story hardest, and they say that sources close to the striker say that talks over personal terms are now “advanced.” The 22 year old is in demand from Liverpool too, but it seems we’ve advanced far faster than them.

We seem keen, the player seems keen.

Transfer fee will be sticking point in potential major deal

The issues will without doubt be over a transfer fee. Frankfurt only signed Ekitike last summer, so they’re in a strong position and they know it. They sold Omar Marmoush to Man City in January and are flush already. They’ve declared they want €100m for their star man and can hold out for that if they really want. They’ve got years before they have to start considering a sale.

This piece says Chelsea have “made it clear” they won’t pay that, it’s just a question of how much they will pay, and how strong Frankfurt’s resolve actually is. This could move very quickly if common ground is found.